This is the last year that the ISAT will be administered, but the first year that it will not be a high-stakes test in CPS. The ISAT will not count for:
- school rating (level system),
- promotion policy,
- teacher or principal evaluation,
- selective enrollment admission.
Why are we disrupting two weeks of the school year for a test that serves no instructional or administrative purpose this year? What can you do to take back this time?
- Know the facts and share them:
- Opt out! Use this ISAT-specific letter (in English and Spanish) or our universal opt-out letter (Spanish version) to just say no. Barbara Byrd Bennett has said that parents and students have the right to refuse this test and that students will be able to do self-guided activities during the ISAT.
- Tell ISBE and CPS to cancel the ISAT this year. Sign our petition here, and share widely!
More than a Score Chicago 
It is obvious that principals are being coerced to lie about the ISAT, and it seems likely that the primary reason for this is to prevent the idea of opting out of tests from spreading. The party line from our unfortunate principals has changed from “This years test will be 100% common core aligned” to “The ISAT ‘FORMAT’ for reading and math are 100% aligned to the common core state standards.” I’d love for anyone in the top leadership of CPS to explain to us all what it means to have an aligned ‘FORMAT’. Could it be that they are both bubble tests? LOL what nonsense. I take this shift in the spin to indicate that CPS knows they are under the spotlight and are trying to create plausible deniability about the previous lies they have had spread to parents by principals.